The quarterback position is crucial in the game of football, and the Illinois football program has learned this the hard way.
Over the years, the Illini have had some stinkers at the quarterback position. I still look at the Lovie Smith era and wonder what the heck was going on.
But for every bad quarterback, there has been a good one. Illinois has produced some talented passers throughout the past century, and I wanted to look at the best quarterbacks to come through Champaign.
The following results were determined by a mix of numbers, team success, and the situation they came into. Enjoy.
Here are the top 10 Illinois football quarterbacks of all time
No. 10 Johnny Johnson
A lot of factors went into determining the top 10 Illinois football quarterbacks of all time, and the thing that got Johnny Johnson over the top was his ability to win games.
Johnson came to Champaign via Chicago. He was an All-American at North Chicago High School, and then he took his talents to Illinois where he continued some great work on the football field.
In the three seasons Johnson spent at Illinois, he amassed 5,043 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions. These numbers include a great 1994 season that saw the talented quarterback throw for 2,245 yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
One of the biggest highlights of the Johnson era was in 1993. A 2-4 Illini squad, coming off a big 49-3 win over Iowa, took on the No. 13 Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor. Johnson, slippery as can be, managed to get loose and throw a game-winning touchdown with under a minute to play.
Johnson helped Illinois get into the national rankings the following season, getting as high as No. 21 in the preseason poll. Despite falling out of the AP Top 25, Johnson managed to get Illinois to a bowl game where we won 30-0 over East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl.
A big moment, a bowl game appearance and win, and quality numbers are all reasons that Johnson is in the top 10 greatest Illinois quarterbacks of all time.
No. 9 Tom O’Connell
It is really hard to find numbers on some of the athletes from pre-1957. Illinois football had the most success in program history in the early 1900s, but there weren’t a lot of great numbers.
I have to tip my hat to Tom O’Connell, though. A name that most Illini fans don’t know and sports fans surely won’t know, O’Connell helped lead Illinois to some incredible moments in program history.
O’Connell came out of the Chicago area, much like Johnny Johnson. He attended South Shore High School where he was a star athlete in the 1940s. O’Connell originally committed and suited up for Notre Dame, but due to playing time, he transferred out and ended up landing with Illinois.
The first season under O’Connell was incredibly successful. Illinois ended up going 9-0-1 with the only blemish a 0-0 tie with Ohio State. That season, O’Connell helped the Illini in beating No. 20 Washington and No. 15 Michigan. In the game against the Wolverines, O’Connell threw the game-winning touchdown pass with under two minutes left in a snowstorm to win 7-0.
Illinois didn’t just win the Big Ten in 1951, but we also made the Rose Bowl and beat No. 7 Stanford 40-7. In that game, the Illini were down 7-6 in the second half before we went on a 34-point unanswered run to win the game. This victory also helped Illinois clinch our fifth and most recent national championship.
The following season wasn’t nearly as successful, as the Illini went 4-5 overall despite getting as high as No. 2 in the country. O’Connell still has some great moments throughout his career, though.
O’Connell’s great quarterback play earned him double-digit Big Ten records at the time, and he held Illinois’ single-season and career passing yardage records for 28 years and 20 years, respectively.
In the Illinois record book, you will still find O’Connell’s name today. His three touchdown passes in the first quarter against Washington in 1952 rank No. 2 all-time for the Illini. He had five touchdowns in the first half of that game, which is the most by any Illinois quarterback ever. These are just a couple of the records he has etched his name in.
O’Connell was a great quarterback who helped Illinois to our most recent national championship. He also held multiple Illinois records for multiple decades. He belongs in the top 10.
No. 8 Jason Verduzco
In the early 1990s, Illinois has some successful football teams. We weren’t winning at the highest of levels, but this program was respectable. Jason Verduzco was one of the reasons the Illini were winning games.
Verduzco was a great quarterback for Antioch High School out in California. After having a big high school career, Verduzco decided to come to Illinois and develop his arm. He spent four seasons with the Illini, and he was one of the winningest quarterbacks in recent history.
Illinois made a bowl game in all four years Verduzco was with the program. In his final three seasons, he got to start in those bowl games.
Sadly, under Verduzco, Illinois was 0-3 in postseason appearances. We dropped the Hall of Fame Bowl to Clemson 30-0, the Sun Bowl to UCLA 6-3, and the Holiday Bowl to Hawaii 27-17.
The Illini still managed to win a lot in those three seasons, though. We had a total of 20 victories, and making three straight bowl games is unheard of with this program.
Overall, Verduzco’s numbers were pretty solid too. He finished his Illinois career with 6,974 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions. His 40 touchdowns and 63.1% completion rate rank No. 5 all-time among quarterbacks at Illinois who had at least 200 attempts.
Without a doubt, Verduzco is one of the best quarterbacks to come through the Illinois program. If he had won some of those bowl games, he would have been higher on this list too.
No. 7 Juice Williams
Juice Williams could have easily been higher on this list if the arm talent was most consistent. He still checks in as one of the best quarterbacks to ever come through the program, though.
Coming out of Chicago Vocational High School, Williams was one of the top recruits in the country. He was a four-star recruit who was ranked inside the top 100 nationally. Ron Zook and the Illini were able to pull him in and keep him home.
This decision was great for Williams, as he was an immediate sensation for the Illini. As a sophomore, Williams helped lead Illinois to a 9-3 regular season record. This great run, which saw the Illini get as high as No. 13 in the country, included a massive upset win over No. 1 Ohio State in Columbus.
Williams was a big part of that win as well. He had four touchdown passes in that game and 70 yards on the ground. The most important aspect of his game in the upset win was his legs on the final drive. He was able to covert a huge fourth down in our territory and multiple third downs to keep the drive going.
Illinois managed to get to the Rose Bowl that season and came up short against USC. That Illini team will never be forgotten, though. They were the last Rose Bowl unit for the Orange and Blue.
For his career, Williams finished his time in Champaign with 8,037 yards, 56 touchdowns, and 44 interceptions through the air. In addition to his passing, he also had 2,557 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground. His 10,594 total yards is second in the history of the Illinois football program.
If Williams was a little better as a passer and the final two seasons weren't steps down from that Rose Bowl run, then he would have easily been higher on this list. But No. 7 felt like the right spot for Williams among the all-time great quarterbacks in program history.
No. 6 Tommy DeVito
This might be the most controversial player to be on this list of the greatest quarterbacks to come through Champaign. But the numbers Tommy DeVito put up in the one season at Illinois were special.
It is really tough to gauge the historical presence of a player who only spent one season with the team, but I think DeVito earned his spot on this list. After spending four seasons with the Syracuse Orange, DeVito hit the transfer portal and was a huge addition to the Illinois squad for the 2022 campaign.
In the only season DeVito was with the Illini, he threw for 2,650 yards, 15 touchdowns, and four interceptions. DeVito was the most efficient quarterback the program has ever seen as well.
DeVito had a 90.9% completion rate against Nebraska that season, which set the school record for a single-game completion percentage. He also completed 69.6% of his passes during the 2022 campaign, which was another Illinois record for single-season completion percentage.
On top of those great numbers, DeVito had a 3.75 touchdown-to-interception ratio, which leads all Illinois quarterbacks who had at least 200 attempts during their career in Champaign.
DeVito didn’t just put up good numbers either. He helped lead the Illinois offense to a bowl game for only the third time in 11 seasons. Illinois also had eight regular season wins in 2022, which were the most from the program since the 2007 Rose Bowl season.
It was sad Illinois fans only got one season from DeVito before he went to the NFL. That one season was special, though. DeVito set records and took Illinois to heights we hadn’t seen in decades.
No. 5 Tony Eason
While the transfer portal is hot right now, there have been big-time transfers throughout the history of the Illinois football program. One of the biggest transfers was Tony Eason.
Originally starting out at American River College in California, Eason bolted the program after two seasons and headed to Illinois. He committed to the Illini and had to sit out the 1980 campaign due to transfer rules.
Eason was finally able to suit up in 1981, and he hit the ground running. His 1981 campaign was special, throwing for 3,360 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions and helping Illinois to a 7-4 record. Remember, this was 1981, and Eason was throwing for over 3,000 yards.
Illinois was on probation for the 1981 season, so we couldn’t play in a bowl game. But Eason came back in 1982 and had another good year. He threw for 3,671 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions.
The gunslinger got Illinois back to a 7-4 record and fresh off a bowl ban, the Illini entered the Liberty Bowl against Alabama. Despite falling to the Crimson Tide 21-15, Eason’s time at Illinois was successful, amassing a record of 14-9 in two seasons.
Eason had one of the best arms in program history. He set the Illinois single-season passing yards record at 3,671 yards in 1982. He also leads the Illini in pass efficiency for a career at 133.8, passing yards per game for a season at 333.7 YPG, and passing yards per game for a career at 300.4 YPG, among other big numbers.
As far as quarterbacks go, Eason was one of the best to come through the Illinois football program. He was ahead of his time with his passing ability.
No. 4 Nathan Scheelhaase
The Juice Williams era was fun, and he was able to get us to a Rose Bowl appearance. The transition out of the Williams era at quarterback and into the future was Nathan Scheelhaase.
Scheelhaase came into the Illinois program in 2010. He hailed from Rockhurst High School in Missouri where he established himself as a talented dual-threat four-star quarterback. He was a great get for Ron Zook, and the future seemed pretty bright for the Illini.
Illinois saw instant success with Scheelhaase at quarterback. In his first two seasons, he threw for 30 touchdowns and 16 interceptions while helping Illinois to back-to-back bowl games. In 2010, Illinois took down Baylor and future Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III in the Texas Bowl. We followed that win up with a victory over UCLA in the Fight Hunger Bowl a year later.
Despite back-to-back bowl appearances, new athletic director Mike Thomas fired Zook and took a different path. This decision, along with some injuries, affected Scheelhaase’s career the rest of the way out.
Even though things didn’t end well at Illinois as far as winning is concerned, Scheelhaase still put up some eye-popping numbers. In his four-year career, he threw for 8,568 yards, 55 touchdowns, and 37 interceptions. He also ran for 2,066 yards and 19 touchdowns.
The 10,634 total yards by Scheelhaase during his career ranks No. 1 all-time in the history of the Illinois football program. He did all of that while still having a 63.0% completion rate.
The numbers alone put Scheelhaase in the top five among the greatest Illinois quarterbacks of all time. He also won two bowl games for the program, which is rare. It was honestly hard not putting him higher, but I think No. 4 on this list is the right spot.
No. 3 Jeff George
Jeff George is a weird one, as he was elevated at the NFL level but his numbers weren’t great while in Champaign. He is easily one of the best quarterbacks in program history, though.
After starring at Warren Central High School in Indianapolis, George decided to take his talents to Purdue. He spent the 1986 season with the Boilermakers before hitting the transfer portal. George eventually picked Illinois as his next landing spot, and finally suited up for the Orange and Blue after sitting out the 1987 season due to transfer rules.
Illinois saw success once George started playing for the program. In year one, he threw for 2,257 yards, nine touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Illinois made it to the All-American Bowl and fell just short of Florida.
The following season, George came back in a big way. He threw for 2,417 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The Illini were close to winning the Big Ten with a 10-2 record overall and 7-1 in the conference. Illinois still made the Citrus Bowl and took down Virginia, 31-21.
I realize that people are going to question George being No. 3 and not No. 1. Yes, he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, but that doesn’t mean he was the greatest quarterback in the history of the program. He had a strong arm, and NFL teams can base their decisions on potential and the way an athlete looks.
George still had a great two-year run with Illinois, though. He won a bowl game and was able to fling the ball around the field. He also had a two-year record of 16-7-1, which is impressive.
For his Illinois career, George finished with 4,674 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions to go along with his 59.9% completion rate. He was able to win and lead Illinois to some great heights. I think George is in the right spot at No. 3 on the list of the greatest Illinois quarterbacks of all time.
No. 2 Jack Trudeau
There have been a handful of Illinois quarterbacks who have put up some big numbers throughout the history of the program, and Jack Trudeau goes down as one of the most prolific passers to come through Champaign.
Coming out of Granada High School in California, Trudeau was wanted by many big-time programs. Illinois recruited the talented gunslinger, and we ended up winning out.
Trudeau spent four seasons at Illinois, and his final three campaigns he had a chance to shine. In 1983, Illinois went 10-2 overall and a perfect 9-0 in the Big Ten under Trudeau’s leadership. We won the conference and made the Rose Bowl only to fall short to UCLA.
Illinois would have played in a bowl game in 1984 after going 7-4 overall, but once again, we had a postseason ban due to recruiting. In 1985, Illinois looked good again with Trudeau leading the way. We finished 6-5-1 that year and lost in the Peach Bowl against Army.
For his career, Trudeau threw for 8,725 yards, 51 touchdowns, and 38 interceptions. His 8,725 yards are the most career passing yards by an Illinois quarterback in program history. He also has a litany of other Illinois passing records.
On top of the historic numbers, Trudeau led Illinois to three straight winning seasons, a Rose Bowl appearance, a Big Ten title, and what would have been three straight bowl games if it wasn’t for sanctions. Historically, there is an argument Trudeau should be No. 1, but for now, I have him No. 2 on this list.
No. 1 Kurt Kittner
It was difficult to determine the best Illinois football quarterback of all time. There are a few great ones who could have donned the No. 1 spot. I believe that Kurt Kittner deserves the top spot on this list.
Coming out of Schaumberg High School in Illinois, Kittner was a die-hard Illinois commit through and through. While pledged to the Orange and Blue, the Illini went 0-11 in 1997. Kittner remained committed and would suit up for the program in 1998.
Illinois went from the bottom of the barrel nationally to a solid team in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 1999, the first full year Kittner was behind center and two years after going 0-11, the Illini finished 7-4 in the regular season and won the MicronPC.com Bowl over Virginia, 63-21.
The following season was a bit of a letdown, but in 2001, Illinois came storming back led by Kittner. The Illini didn’t start the season ranked, but a win over No. 25 Louisville got us into the top 25. That season, Illinois only lost one game in the regular season, and it was at No. 17 Michigan. We went 10-1 overall and won the Big Ten with a conference record of 7-1.
Kittner’s great performances helped Illinois get into the Sugar Bowl. We were competitive against LSU but fell just short of Nick Saban and the Tigers.
For his career, Kittner threw for 8,722 yards, 70 touchdowns, and 34 interceptions. Kittner had 27 touchdown passes in 2001 and 70 career touchdown passes, both of which are No. 1 in the history of the Illinois program. His 8,722 yards through the air is only second all-time in Illinois history, just three yards short of Jack Trudeau.
You will find Kittner’s name all over the Illinois record book as well. I think what puts him over the top is the fact Illinois was in such a bad spot when Kittner joined the program. Going 0-11 and then coming in and leading the program to two bowl games, one of which was a BCS Bowl, and a Big Ten title is something special. That is why Kittner is the best Illinois quarterback of all time.